Parents denying child access may be tagged
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Ministers have bowed to pressure from the campaign group Fathers 4 Justice by including a plan for electronic tagging in a draft Bill on measures to enforce access to children, despite having described the idea as "disproportionate".
Ministers have bowed to pressure from the campaign group Fathers 4 Justice by including a plan for electronic tagging in a draft Bill on measures to enforce access to children, despite having described the idea as "disproportionate".
Under the proposal put forward by Fathers 4 Justice, courts could impose curfew orders as a punishment on women who persistently refused to allow fathers to see their children. Electronic tags could be fitted to mothers to make sure they obey the court ruling.
Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Lord Chancellor, flanked yesterday by Patricia Hewitt, the Trade and Industry Secretary, and Ruth Kelly, the Education Secretary, said all three ministers regarded electronic tagging as a "disproportionate" penalty to impose on women. But he said it would be included in the draft Bill to be published in the next fortnight.
Lord Falconer said: "In my view, the idea of tagging was not sufficiently brought to the fore. There hasn't been a debate about tagging at all. We are not saying we are going to go in the direction of tagging but let there be a debate about it."
Lord Falconer denied including the measure to appease Fathers 4 Justice, whose high- profile protests have included a demonstrator dressed up as Batman climbing up to a balcony of Buckingham Palace.
He said: "The civil disobedience campaign has not brought this to the fore. There is a widespread sense that the system has not been working. There have been too many cases where the courts have made order after order and there hasn't then been contacts. It has to be change in the interests of the children."
Ms Kelly, who has four children, said: "On the question of tagging, I completely agree. The judiciary asked us for a flexible set of tools to put at their disposal. That is what we are trying to offer."
Ms Hewitt said they were trying to deal with "wilful and absolute flouting" of court orders by those who refused their ex-partners access to their children. But Fathers 4 Justice's demand for an automatic right of equal access to children has been rejected.
Fathers 4 Justice warned last night that it was planning to disrupt the general election to highlight its demands. Gary Burch, a spokesman for the group, said the Government's proposals did not go far enough.
He said: "The Government has admitted that the system is not working. A year ago it was claiming there was no problem. They are still not putting forward solutions which stop children being used as weapons in relationship breakdowns.
"I haven't seen my two daughters for nearly four years. The courts won't enforce the access orders. They were faced with one obdurate parent, but it has taken four years to get to grips with the case. My case is now in the High Court, but it is just a mess.
"There is a growing number of people who aren't prepared to walk away from their children. I don't understand why we won't condemn a man who walks away from his kids, but we will condemn a man who tries to have a say in their lives."
The Government is also proposing legislation to improve contact and the enforcement of contact orders. Under the plans, parents will be forced to repay money to former partners if they suffer financial loss, such as over a wrecked holiday, by refusing access to their children. Parents defying court orders over access could be punished with community work or be forced to accept a curfew. Couples will be urged to go to mediation. A telephone helpline will give legal advice.
Husband who fled with baby comes out of hiding
A husband who went missing for 10 days with his baby daughter in New Zealand has come out of hiding after a television appeal.
Stephen Jelicich, 39, was on an extended trip to New Zealand with his British wife when he disappeared with five-month-old Caitlin after arguments led the couple to split up.
Diane Jelicich, 41, a nurse from Swansea, flew back to the UK and made an appeal for her baby's return which was shown on New Zealand television.
Mr Jelicich returned with the child, who is reported to be safe and well, to his parents' home in Auckland yesterday evening. He has won the right to appeal against a court decision in New Zealand which awarded custody of the baby to his estranged wife, which led him to go on the run.
He argues that he can offer the child a better life in New Zealand.
Mrs Jelicichtold GMTV yesterday that she was pleased her daughter was safe but "devastated" at the court's decision. She said: "I'm glad to know Caitlin is safe and well. I'm appalled that Stephen has not been arrested. I was going to go over there as soon as I could and now it looks like I'm not going to see the baby as soon as I thought I was."
Matthew Beard